High Impact Professionals (HIP)

High Impact Professionals (HIP) was founded in October 2021 by Federico Speziali and Devon Fritz, following incubation and a $100,000 seed grant from Charity Entrepreneurship's 2021 Incubation Program. The organization's mission is to empower working professionals to use their money, time, and skills to have the biggest positive impact possible, with a focus on cause areas including Global Health and Wellbeing, Animal Welfare, and Global Catastrophic Risk Reduction (including AI safety). HIP's flagship program is the Impact Accelerator Program (IAP), a free six-week cohort-based initiative for mid-career and senior professionals seeking to transition into high-impact roles. The program provides structured support, mentorship from experienced practitioners, curated resources, and cohort accountability to help participants identify promising opportunities, address key uncertainties, and take concrete steps toward impactful work. As of 2025, the program has run multiple cohorts per year, supported 210 participants across rounds in 2025 alone, and facilitated over 50 career transitions. The Talent Directory is a searchable platform connecting professionals to high-impact organizations. As of 2025, it hosts over 4,500 professional profiles and is used by 290+ organizations for recruiting. The directory includes a Top Candidates nomination feature and has produced documented downstream hires and fellowships. The HIP Pledge Club, launched in mid-2024, formalizes effective giving commitments. Members take tiered pledges including the 10% Pledge via Giving What We Can. As of the end of 2025, HIP had inspired approximately 70 new pledges, including 18 ten-percent pledges. For two consecutive years (2024 and 2025), the projected financial value of giving pledges inspired exceeded HIP's total annual operating costs. In 2025, HIP launched a fourth offering, the Career Impact Track (CIT), a self-guided complement to the main IAP program featuring a workbook and accountability-matching component. HIP was initially led by its co-founders, and later transitioned to a new leadership team. As of 2025, Nina Friedrich serves as Executive Director and Clark Wisenbaker as Director of Operations. In 2026, HIP planned to expand by adding a Director of Programs and a Director of Marketing. The organization operates with a lean core team supplemented by 33+ volunteer facilitators and mentors. Funding history includes: $100,000 from Charity Entrepreneurship (2021), $320,000 from the FTX Future Fund (2022), and a two-year general support grant of $251,110 from Open Philanthropy (via Coefficient Giving, 2025), which extended HIP's runway by two years. HIP is also recognized as a supported program by Giving What We Can and is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit.